The use of strontium salts for therapeutic purposes has already been the subject of numerous publications and patents. By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,152,431 describes alkali metal salts which can be used in the treatment of inflammation. Patent WO-A-94/09798 presents sulfate complexes of various metals which are active in the treatment of skin diseases. The work by Olle Svensson et al. (Acta Path. Microbiol. Immunol. Scand., Sect. A, 93, (1985), 115-120) shows that strontium plays a role in certain cases of rickets.